Rowers Trireme

in ancient navies, crews composed not of galley slaves of free men. in athenian case in particular, service in ships integral part of military service provided lower classes, thētai, although metics , hired foreigners accepted. although has been argued slaves formed part of rowing crew in sicilian expedition, typical athenian trireme crew during peloponnesian war consisted of 80 citizens, 60 metics , 60 foreign hands. indeed, in few emergency cases slaves used crew ships, these deliberately set free, before being employed. instance, tyrant dionysius of syracuse once set slaves of syracuse free man galleys, employing freedmen, otherwise relied on citizens , foreigners oarsmen.

in athenian navy, crews enjoyed long practice in peacetime, becoming skilled professionals , ensuring athens supremacy in naval warfare. rowers divided according positions in ship thranitai, zygitai, , thalamitai. according excavated naval inventories, lists of ships equipment compiled athenian naval boards, there were:

62 thranitai in top row (thranos means deck ). rowed through parexeiresia, outrigger enabled inclusion of third row of oars without significant increase height , loss of stability of ship. greater demands placed upon strength , synchronization on of other 2 rows.
54 zygitai in middle row, named after beams (zygoi) on sat.
54 thalamitai or thalamioi in lowest row, (thalamos means hold ). position uncomfortable, being underneath colleagues , exposed water entering through oarholes, despite use of askōma, leather sleeve through oar emerged.

most of rowers (108 of 170 - zygitai , thalamitai), due design of ship, unable see water , therefore, rowed blindly, therefore coordinating rowing required great skill , practice. not known how done, there literary , visual references use of gestures , pipe playing convey orders rowers. in sea trials of reconstruction olympias, evident difficult problem solve, given amount of noise full rowing crew generated. in aristophanes play frogs 2 different rowing chants can found: ryppapai , o opop , both corresponding quite sound , motion of oar going through full cycle.